Conveying installations having endlessly self-contained conveying belts are well known.
Conveying belts, often also referred to as belt conveyors, transport bulk goods either using a depression-like implementation, as known from DE 10 2008 037 457 A1 or DE 7019776, for example, or using right-hand-side and left-hand-side side walls (edge profile strips), which are affixed substantially perpendicularly on the carrying side of the conveying belt, as known from DE 10 2008 013 571 A1, for example, and/or using what are called cleats (lugs), as known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,209 or DE3835619C2, for example.
The side walls of a conveying belt are often in the form of a corrugated or undulating edge; see description, for example, in DE 10 2008 055 482 A1. This ensures that in spite of the often relatively high side walls, the conveying belt, at the two end points of the transport section, can be guided without damage around the diverting drum located there. The side walls in this case are not elongated and planar, but are instead in a corrugated (undulating, snaking) form and are affixed on the conveying belt on its lengthwise sides. As a result of this design, there is sufficient side wall material to prevent tearing caused by the stretching of the side wall during diversion. They usually have an elastic all-rubber layer with or without fabric inserts. Conveying belts with undulating edges are used preferably for transporting bulk goods. In the case of ascending conveyors in particular, cleats, preferably transverse cleats, prevent the conveyed goods slipping. In the case of linear conveying belts, the cleats are also used as a separation between piece goods. The cleats here may be equipped with or without additional fabric insert.
As a result of the undulating edges, the useful physical cross section (that is, the cross-sectional filling area and hence the conveying volume) of the conveying belt is increased. Undulating edges and cleats, with and without a foot in each case, are usually glued, welded or vulcanized onto the conveying belt. The cleats are preferably applied transversely to the conveying direction.
Conveying belts having undulating edges and/or cleats are particularly suitable for being able to convey piece goods and bulk goods steeply (up to 90°), since in this case, alternatively, effective side sealing is ensured and the conveyed goods are unable to slip to the side and/or downward.
Because of the undulating geometry, the amount of material needed particularly for the undulating edges is comparatively high. This high level of material needed also results in a high overall weight for the conveying belt.
The application of cleats, too, increases the overall weight of the conveying belt.